The Dooplex Creates a Shopping Experience for Women of Color

The growing conversation about representation in the beauty world has shown no signs of slowing down anytime soon. And it shouldn't. As consumers become increasingly vocal — calling out brands when they make a misstep or blatantly exclude a group of people — some brands have responded by making diversity a priority in all facets of their businesses. From the models they cast in their ad campaigns to the shade ranges of their base products, it’s a big step that's long overdue.

While many strides have been made in terms of inclusivity in the beauty space, companies often still fall short. And seeing repeated failures can get frustrating in 2018, a time when brands should definitely know better. Even the shopping experience can get frustrating because of limited selections for customers of color. (Personally, I’ve been let down on more than one occasion when looking for natural hair products.)

In light of that, I've been looking to support more business owned by people of color — ones that truly try to meet my needs. The Dooplex, a new online shop that launched this year, seems to truly get it.

Longtime college friends Kevin Lyles, Roger Fountain Jacob Williams, and Rebekah Sager teamed up to create their own digital destination, with the goal of catering to black people and their beauty concerns. Launched on Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2018, The Dooplex features a carefully curated mix of minority-owned hair and skin care products. “We sell products that help our customers maintain healthy hair, create flexible styling options, and give flawless complexions. Each and every product line we carry has been used extensively in salons, and comes with a track record of performance by discerning customers,” the founding team told Teen Vogue.

Alongside the e-commerce platform is their Doo Rag Blog, which spotlights inspiring, professional women of color. There are also informative posts filled with thoughtful tips, as well as product recommendations for common beauty woes. “The voice and content of the site are as important to us as our sales. We want the site to feel like a place that represents the conversations women of color have every day. From politics to beauty, gender issues, parenting, love, sex and race, we’re hoping to tell the story of beauty through the lens of these topics,” they explained.

Above all, The Dooplex hopes to create a more fun and inviting beauty shopping experience for women of color. Though it’s only a month old, the brands they’ve started off with are quite promising. Ahead, find seven Teen Vogue-approved picks from the site.

An antidote for a dry and itchy scalp, the Dr. Earles hair system is comprised of a shampoo and scalp treatment. The duo works in conjunction to rid the hair follicles of buildup, banish dandruff, and soothe irritation — all without stripping it of nourishing oils.

Nothing is more frustrating than the dark marks that acne bumps tend to leave behind, especially on darker skin tones. While they normally fade with time, you can speed up the process with Dr. Earles’ skin brightening, oil-free moisturizer, which also helps keep your face hydrated — and not greasy — all day long.

Every black woman needs a strong edge control in her arsenal to slick down baby hairs and keep flyaways at bay. Not only will this one from Indigo keep your hair in place, it’s also packed with healthy ingredients that promote hair growth. Bonus: You can also use it as a curling pomade for heat styling.

While regular deep conditioning is an important step in every haircare routine, it’s especially vital for kinky/curly hair textures, since they're prone to dryness. Formulated without hair-clogging ingredients, this deep conditioner will give your mane a well-needed boost of hydration while leaving it with a lasting shine in between wash days.

One of the most common problems found amongst naturalistas is excessive breakage because of brittle and dry strands. This potent vegan moisturizer for braided styles keeps hair hydrated, even while it's tucked away.

Prescription-grade conditioners are great for when your scalp needs extra TLC. Infused with calming aloe, this KitiKiti medicated conditioner deeply penetrates the hair shaft to restore moisture and give you the best hair days.